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The Pittston Area graduate and Temple University sophomore defeated Charlie Danielson, 3 and 2, on Thursday in the Round of 16 at the U.S. Amateur Golf Championship at The Country Club in Brookline, Mass.

Matthews of Dupont will face Australia's Oliver Goss in today's quarterfinals at noon. Goss, a sophomore at the University of Tennessee, topped Xander Schauffele of San Diego, 3 and 1.

Goss reached the Round of 8 last year.

Efforts to reach Matthews on Thursday were unsuccessful.

Earlier Thursday, he defeated University of New Mexico junior Gavin Green in the Round of 32. They were all square after the front nine, but Matthews went 3-under on the first three holes of the back nine and closed out Green with pars on 13, 14 and 15 to win, 4 and 3. The highlight of the round was an eagle on No. 12, a 626-yard par-5 and The Country Club's longest hole.

On No. 15, Matthews sunk a lengthy par putt to halve the hole and clinch the match.

Then, without much time for rest, Matthews had to face Danielson in the afternoon.

They traded the lead on the front nine before Matthews went 1-up with a birdie on the 381-yard, par No. 8. He extended his lead to 2-up with a par on the 506-yard No. 9 when Danielson had a bogey-5.

Matthews dropped a hole with a double-bogey on No. 12 - the same hole he eagled in the morning - when Danielson had a bogey.

A par on No. 13, coupled with another Danielson bogey, made it a 2-up again in Matthews' favor.

Matthews maintained the two-hole lead through No. 15, despite a bogey on No. 14, a 509-yard par-4.

On No. 16, a 179-yard par-3, he carded his first birdie of the back nine - Danielson parred the hole - to secure the win and a quarterfinal berth.

Matthews is one of three American-born players left in the field, two wins away from a spot in Sunday's championship and an automatic berth in the 2014 Masters and U.S. Open.

Less than three years ago, the Dupont native hoisted the PIAA championship trophy. Now, he is one of eight amateurs left standing.

Qualifying medalists Neil Raymond and Brady Watt each won two matches Thursday, too.

Raymond, trying to become the first English winner since 1911, beat Zachary Olsen of Cordova, Tenn., 2 and 1 in the morning and edged Australia's Nathan Holman 1 up in the afternoon. Watt, from Australia, topped Seth Reeves of Duluth, Ga., 3 and 2 in the morning and beat Canada's Charlie Hughes 2 and 1 in the afternoon.

Raymond will face Canada's Corey Conners, a 5-and-3 winner over Patrick Rodgers of Avon, Ind. Watt will face 17-year-old Scottie Scheffler of Dallas, the youngest player in the quarterfinals.

In the other quarterfinal match, Adam Ball of Richmond, Va., will meet England's Matt Fitzpatrick.

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